Thursday, October 16, 2008

Late BloomersMalcolm Gladwell has a fascinating essay in the New Yorker about artists who don't peak until late in their careers (like Monet), unlike others who are recognized while very young (such as Picasso) — and the difference between the way they work and think. Inspiring and a highly recommended read for all creatives.

Ken Adam Designs the MoviesThis looks like a totally fun read. Ken Adam Designs the Movies is a new book published by Thames & Hudson on the work of the celebrated film production designer, written by Ken Adam and cultural historian Christopher Frayling. Adam is most famous for his design for the War Room in Dr. Strangelove, but he established the look of the early James Bond films, too, creating the missile launching pad hidden inside a volcano in You Only Live Twice and the faux Fort Knox in Goldfinger, as well as creating the lovely candlelit 18th-century drawing rooms of Stanley Kubrick's film Barry Lyndon. He also designed brilliant props, such as Bond's armed Aston Martin DB5 in Goldfinger and the flying-floating car in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. A must for any film and/or design fan. Via things magazine.

The Slow Decline of Sea GlassInteresting article in Smithsonian Magazine about how true sea glass is becoming rarer and rarer these days. It'll make you look with new eyes at that jar of sea glass and shells sitting on your shelf, souvenir of a childhood seaside holiday ...

Despot BirdhousesSuper Kingdom is a fascinating installation work by Bruce Gilchrist and Jo Joelson, now on show in King’s Wood, near Ashford in Kent (England). It's a series of bird houses, with each design based on an infamous dictators’ palace. The installation was created as a comment on the displacement of animal (and human) communities in the face of urban development, and will eventually be filmed once the houses are tenanted by wildlife. Via the Creative Review blog.

Haruo Suekichi: The Steampunk WatchmakerPingMag interviews Haruo Suekichi about his work — beautifully hand made watches that look like they're straight out of a Jules Verne novel. Go look at the pix!

TodaySeveral months ago designer Eric Baker began sending images of odd and interesting things he found online that day to a friend, and then more and more friends and colleagues. A fascinating collection of visual ephemera. Via Design Observer.

Take a few moments to improve your vocabulary today while helping the United Nations World Food Program by playing a few rounds on the FreeRice website. It's good for you, and good for many others, too — since it started in October 2007, FreeRice has generated enough rice to feed more than two million people. Maximize those Scrabble skills here!